Slovene Union
Encyclopedia
The Slovene Union is a centrist
Italian political party representing the Slovene minority
in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
. Its name in Slovene means literally "The Slovene Community", but the denomination "Slovene Union" is used in other languages.
The party was founded in the 1960s to represent the anti-Communist Slovenes in the Italian Julian March
(provinces of Trieste
and Gorizia
). It the 1970s and 1980s, it extended its presence also to the Venetian Slovenia
and the Canale Valley in the Province of Udine
. It has been considered to be sympathetic to the policies of the Roman Catholic Church
and has drawn its support from various Slovene Catholic institutions in Italy, such as the Hermagoras Society and the Council of Slovene Organizations.
Since 2007, the Slovene Union is affiliated to the Democratic Party
; the relation between the two entities is regulated by a so-called "agreement of federation", which guarantees the full autonomy of the Slovene Union in a strategic alliance with the Democratic Party.
(Venezia Giulia), that is in the provinces Gorizia
and Trieste
(until 1954 Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste
). These organizations included the liberal democratic Slovene Democratic Union (Slovenska demokratska zveza, SDZ), led by Josip Agneletto and Andrej Uršič; the Slovene Christian Social Union (Slovenska krščansko socialna zveza, SKSZ), led by Engelbert Besednjak
and Avgust Sfiligoj, and the Social democrat Group of Independent Slovenes (Skupina neodvisnih Slovencev, SNS), led by Josip Ferfolja
, Frane Tončič and Dušan Rybář. All these groups shared an anti-fascist ideology, they were both opposed to Italian nationalism
and centralism, as well as to the Communist regime in the nearby Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
. Coming from different ideological background, but sharing similar programs, these groups soon established a close collaboration, creating many unitary lists in municipal and provincial elections. Between 1947 and 1954, a unitary action was hindered by the fact that the Slovene minority was split into two separate political realities, one in the Republic of Italy and the other in the Free Territory of Trieste
.
Since the elections of 1963
, the party has participated in nearly all general, regional and municipal elections in Italy. Beginning from the late 1960s, it frequently allied itself with the Christian Democracy
. Since its foundation, the Slovene Union has maintained close relationships with the South Tyrol People's Party and the Valdotanian Union
. In the general elections of 1992
, the Slovene Union ran for parliament
in an alliance with the Valdotanian Union, the Sardinian Action Party
, the Union for South Tyrol
and some smaller autonomist and federalist parties. This unitary list obtained a seat in the Chamber of Deputies
and one in the Senate of the Republic
, although none of them was from the Slovene Union.
Since the beginning of the so-called Second Republic, the party has allied itself with centre left coalitions, such as the Olive tree coalition, and Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy.
and 2.6% in the Province of Gorizia
) and elected a regional deputy, Igor Gabrovec.
The party has a strong support in border areas with Slovenia
(44.4% in the municipality of Monrupino
, 43.1% in San Floriano del Collio
, 25.4% in Savogna d'Isonzo
, 21.0% in Doberdò del Lago
, 20.5% in Sgonico
, 18.2% in San Dorligo della Valle
, 17.4% in Duino-Aurisina
and 4.9% in Gorizia
) and retains some support in the areas of the Province of Udine
, traditionally known as Venetian Slovenia
(for example 18.1% in Drenchia
, 7.5% in San Leonardo
, 7.1% in Grimacco
, 5.8% in San Pietro al Natisone
and 4.7% in Stregna
).
In the municipal and provincial elections of 2011, the candidates of the Slovene Union ran on the list of the Democratic Party, except for the Council of the Province in Trieste, where they ran separately and gained around 3,4% of the vote.
by the Hermagoras Society is also generally supportive of the party's program, policies and ideology, although it is sometimes critical towards its actions.
have been public supporters of the Slovene Union, including the authors Boris Pahor
and Alojz Rebula
, historian Jože Pirjevec
, journalist, editor and historian Ivo Jevnikar and others.
Maurizio Vidali, Speaker of the Assembly of the Province of Trieste since 2011, is a high ranking member of the party.
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
Italian political party representing the Slovene minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
in Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli-Venezia Giulia
Friuli–Venezia Giulia is one of the twenty regions of Italy, and one of five autonomous regions with special statute. The capital is Trieste. It has an area of 7,858 km² and about 1.2 million inhabitants. A natural opening to the sea for many Central European countries, the region is...
. Its name in Slovene means literally "The Slovene Community", but the denomination "Slovene Union" is used in other languages.
The party was founded in the 1960s to represent the anti-Communist Slovenes in the Italian Julian March
Julian March
The Julian March is a former political region of southeastern Europe on what are now the borders between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy...
(provinces of Trieste
Province of Trieste
The Province of Trieste is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Trieste.It has an area of 212 km², and a total population of 236,520...
and Gorizia
Province of Gorizia
The Province of Gorizia is a province in the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region of Italy.-Overview:Its capital is the city of Gorizia. It belonged to the Province of Udine between 1924 and 1927 and the communes of Sonzia, Plezzo, Bergogna, Caporetto, Tolmino, Circhina, Santa Lucia d'Isonzo,...
). It the 1970s and 1980s, it extended its presence also to the Venetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia is a small mountainous region in northeastern Italy . Most of the region is located in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the area between the towns of Cividale del Friuli, Tarcento and Gemona ....
and the Canale Valley in the Province of Udine
Province of Udine
The Province of Udine is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, bordering Austria and Slovenia. Its capital is the city of Udine....
. It has been considered to be sympathetic to the policies of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and has drawn its support from various Slovene Catholic institutions in Italy, such as the Hermagoras Society and the Council of Slovene Organizations.
Since 2007, the Slovene Union is affiliated to the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Italy)
The Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in Italy, that is the second-largest in the country. The party is led by Pier Luigi Bersani, who was elected in the 2009 leadership election....
; the relation between the two entities is regulated by a so-called "agreement of federation", which guarantees the full autonomy of the Slovene Union in a strategic alliance with the Democratic Party.
History
The Slovene Union was founded in 1962 with the merge of several Slovene anti-Communist political organizations that had functioned since 1945 in the Italian part of the Julian MarchJulian March
The Julian March is a former political region of southeastern Europe on what are now the borders between Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy...
(Venezia Giulia), that is in the provinces Gorizia
Province of Gorizia
The Province of Gorizia is a province in the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region of Italy.-Overview:Its capital is the city of Gorizia. It belonged to the Province of Udine between 1924 and 1927 and the communes of Sonzia, Plezzo, Bergogna, Caporetto, Tolmino, Circhina, Santa Lucia d'Isonzo,...
and Trieste
Province of Trieste
The Province of Trieste is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Trieste.It has an area of 212 km², and a total population of 236,520...
(until 1954 Zone A of the Free Territory of Trieste
Free Territory of Trieste
The Free Territory of Trieste was to be a city-state situated in Central Europe between northern Italy and Yugoslavia, created by the United Nations Security Council in the aftermath of World War II and provisionally administered by an appointed military governor commanding the peacekeeping United...
). These organizations included the liberal democratic Slovene Democratic Union (Slovenska demokratska zveza, SDZ), led by Josip Agneletto and Andrej Uršič; the Slovene Christian Social Union (Slovenska krščansko socialna zveza, SKSZ), led by Engelbert Besednjak
Engelbert Besednjak
Engelbert Besednjak was a Slovene Christian Democrat politician, lawyer and journalist. In the 1920s, he was one of the foremost leaders of the Slovene and Croat minority in the Italian-administered Julian March. In the 1930s, he was one of the leaders of Slovene anti-Fascist émigrés from the...
and Avgust Sfiligoj, and the Social democrat Group of Independent Slovenes (Skupina neodvisnih Slovencev, SNS), led by Josip Ferfolja
Josip Ferfolja
Josip Ferfolja was a Slovene lawyer and Social democratic politician, and human rights activist from the Province of Gorizia...
, Frane Tončič and Dušan Rybář. All these groups shared an anti-fascist ideology, they were both opposed to Italian nationalism
Italian nationalism
Italian nationalism refers to the nationalism of Italians or of Italian culture. It claims that Italians are the ethnic, cultural, and linguistic descendants of the ancient Romans who inhabited the Italian Peninsula for centuries. The origins of Italian nationalism have been traced to the...
and centralism, as well as to the Communist regime in the nearby Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
. Coming from different ideological background, but sharing similar programs, these groups soon established a close collaboration, creating many unitary lists in municipal and provincial elections. Between 1947 and 1954, a unitary action was hindered by the fact that the Slovene minority was split into two separate political realities, one in the Republic of Italy and the other in the Free Territory of Trieste
Free Territory of Trieste
The Free Territory of Trieste was to be a city-state situated in Central Europe between northern Italy and Yugoslavia, created by the United Nations Security Council in the aftermath of World War II and provisionally administered by an appointed military governor commanding the peacekeeping United...
.
Since the elections of 1963
Italian general election, 1963
The Italian elections of 1963 were held on April 28. The fourth Parliament of republican Italy was selected.It was the first election with a fixed number of MPs to be elected, as decided by the second Constitutional Reform in February 1963...
, the party has participated in nearly all general, regional and municipal elections in Italy. Beginning from the late 1960s, it frequently allied itself with the Christian Democracy
Christian Democracy (Italy)
Christian Democracy was a Christian democratic party in Italy. It was founded in 1943 as the ideological successor of the historical Italian People's Party, which had the same symbol, a crossed shield ....
. Since its foundation, the Slovene Union has maintained close relationships with the South Tyrol People's Party and the Valdotanian Union
Valdotanian Union
The Valdotanian Union is a regionalist-centrist Italian political party active in Aosta Valley. Its leaders are Ego Perron, party president, and Augusto Rollandin, President of the Region....
. In the general elections of 1992
Italian general election, 1992
The Italian general elections of 1992 were held on the 5 April 1992.The 1992 elections were the first without the traditionally second most important political force in Italy, the Italian Communist Party , which had been disbanded in 1991...
, the Slovene Union ran for parliament
Parliament of Italy
The Parliament of Italy is the national parliament of Italy. It is a bicameral legislature with 945 elected members . The Chamber of Deputies, with 630 members is the lower house. The Senate of the Republic is the upper house and has 315 members .Since 2005, a party list electoral law is being...
in an alliance with the Valdotanian Union, the Sardinian Action Party
Sardinian Action Party
The Sardinian Action Party is a regionalist social-democratic political party in Sardinia, which has recently sided with The People of Freedom, the largest centre-right party in Italy.-History:...
, the Union for South Tyrol
Union for South Tyrol
The Citizens' Union is a separatist, nationalist and conservative political party active in South Tyrol committed to the German-speaking minority and its right to self-determination...
and some smaller autonomist and federalist parties. This unitary list obtained a seat in the Chamber of Deputies
Italian Chamber of Deputies
The Italian Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Parliament of Italy. It has 630 seats, a plurality of which is controlled presently by liberal-conservative party People of Freedom. Twelve deputies represent Italian citizens outside of Italy. Deputies meet in the Palazzo Montecitorio. A...
and one in the Senate of the Republic
Italian Senate
The Senate of the Republic is the upper house of the Italian Parliament. It was established in its current form on 8 May 1948, but previously existed during the Kingdom of Italy as Senato del Regno , itself a continuation of the Senato Subalpino of Sardinia-Piedmont established on 8 May 1848...
, although none of them was from the Slovene Union.
Since the beginning of the so-called Second Republic, the party has allied itself with centre left coalitions, such as the Olive tree coalition, and Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy.
Popular support
Between 2003 and 2008, the party was represented in the Region Council of Friuli-Venezia Giulia by Mirko Špacapan, elected in the list of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy. In the 2008 regional election the party won 1.2% of the vote (4.5% in the Province of TriesteProvince of Trieste
The Province of Trieste is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Trieste.It has an area of 212 km², and a total population of 236,520...
and 2.6% in the Province of Gorizia
Province of Gorizia
The Province of Gorizia is a province in the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region of Italy.-Overview:Its capital is the city of Gorizia. It belonged to the Province of Udine between 1924 and 1927 and the communes of Sonzia, Plezzo, Bergogna, Caporetto, Tolmino, Circhina, Santa Lucia d'Isonzo,...
) and elected a regional deputy, Igor Gabrovec.
The party has a strong support in border areas with Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
(44.4% in the municipality of Monrupino
Monrupino
Monrupino is a comune in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 9 km north of Trieste, on the border with Slovenia. , it had a population of 848 and an area of 12.7 km²...
, 43.1% in San Floriano del Collio
San Floriano del Collio
San Floriano del Collio is a comune in the Province of Gorizia in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 40 km northwest of Trieste and about 6 km northwest of Gorizia, on the border with Slovenia. , it had a population of 807 and an area of 10.6 km². It is...
, 25.4% in Savogna d'Isonzo
Savogna d'Isonzo
Savogna d'Isonzo is a comune in the Province of Gorizia in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 35 km northwest of Trieste and about 3 km southwest of Gorizia, on the border with Slovenia. It is located at the conjunctions Kras Plateau and the Vipava Valley. The vast...
, 21.0% in Doberdò del Lago
Doberdò del Lago
Doberdò del Lago is a comune in the Province of Gorizia in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 30 km northwest of Trieste and about 11 km southwest of Gorizia...
, 20.5% in Sgonico
Sgonico
Sgonico is a comune in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 12 km northwest of Trieste, on the border with Slovenia. , it had a population of 2,130 and an area of 31.3 km²...
, 18.2% in San Dorligo della Valle
San Dorligo della Valle
San Dorligo della Valle is a comune in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 4 km southeast of Trieste, on the border with Slovenia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,019 and an area of 24.5 km²...
, 17.4% in Duino-Aurisina
Duino-Aurisina
Duino-Aurisina is a comune in the Province of Trieste in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Lying near the border with Slovenia, it has a substantial Slovene population...
and 4.9% in Gorizia
Gorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
) and retains some support in the areas of the Province of Udine
Province of Udine
The Province of Udine is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, bordering Austria and Slovenia. Its capital is the city of Udine....
, traditionally known as Venetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia is a small mountainous region in northeastern Italy . Most of the region is located in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the area between the towns of Cividale del Friuli, Tarcento and Gemona ....
(for example 18.1% in Drenchia
Drenchia
Drenchia is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km north of Trieste and about 35 km northeast of Udine, on the border with Slovenia....
, 7.5% in San Leonardo
San Leonardo, Italy
San Leonardo is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km east of Udine. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,215 and an area of 27.0 km²...
, 7.1% in Grimacco
Grimacco
Grimacco is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km northwest of Trieste and about 25 km northeast of Udine, on the border with Slovenia. , it had a population of 450 and an area of 16.4 km²...
, 5.8% in San Pietro al Natisone
San Pietro al Natisone
San Pietro al Natisone is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km northwest of Trieste and about 20 km northeast of Udine. it had a population of 2,212 and an area of 24.1 km²...
and 4.7% in Stregna
Stregna
Stregna is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located about 60 km northwest of Trieste and about 30 km northeast of Udine, on the border with Slovenia. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 434 and an area of 19.7 km²...
).
In the municipal and provincial elections of 2011, the candidates of the Slovene Union ran on the list of the Democratic Party, except for the Council of the Province in Trieste, where they ran separately and gained around 3,4% of the vote.
Media
The party has an official newspaper, called Skupnost ("Community"). The weekly journal Novi glas ("The New Voice"), published in GoriziaGorizia
Gorizia is a town and comune in northeastern Italy, in the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is located at the foot of the Julian Alps, bordering Slovenia. It is the capital of the Province of Gorizia, and it is a local center of tourism, industry, and commerce. Since 1947, a twin...
by the Hermagoras Society is also generally supportive of the party's program, policies and ideology, although it is sometimes critical towards its actions.
Prominent members
Several public figures of the Slovene minority in ItalyVenetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia is a small mountainous region in northeastern Italy . Most of the region is located in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the area between the towns of Cividale del Friuli, Tarcento and Gemona ....
have been public supporters of the Slovene Union, including the authors Boris Pahor
Boris Pahor
Boris Pahor is a Slovene writer from Italy. He is considered to be one of the most influential living authors in the Slovene language and has been nominated for the Nobel prize for literature by the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts...
and Alojz Rebula
Alojz Rebula
Alojz Rebula is a Slovene writer, playwright, essayist and translator, who lives and works in the Province of Trieste, Italy. He is a member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts.-Life:...
, historian Jože Pirjevec
Jože Pirjevec
Jože Pirjevec is a Slovene historian from Italy. He is one of the most prominent diplomatic historians of the west Balkans region, and member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts....
, journalist, editor and historian Ivo Jevnikar and others.
Maurizio Vidali, Speaker of the Assembly of the Province of Trieste since 2011, is a high ranking member of the party.